Steam disinfector for contact lenses

Abstract

A disinfector for heating and disinfecting contact lenses in which a main plastic housing is provided having a lens well recess from the top thereof dimensioned for receiving a standard lens carrier, and a vented lid covering the well opening. The lens well has a downwardly facing annular recess on the bottom surface thereof for receiving the top edge of an annodized aluminium cup reservoir. The top lid portion is dimensioned for the measurement of water which is poured into the lens well and hence into the aluminium cup reservoir through a plurality of apertures in the bottom of the lens well. These apertures also serve to allow steam from the water in the reservoir to enter the lens well which is in itself a steam compartment. A annular flat electric heater coil is glued to the bottom of the aluminium cup reservoir leaving a circular section exposed in the center thereof. A thermostat switch is attached to the surface of this circular section which opens after the water has boiled away cutting off the power to the heater. The top surface of the main housing and the cap member are each surrounded by an upwardly extending annular lip for moisture retention.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A disinfector comprising: a plastic main housing;   a recess in said main housing terminating in a bottom platform having upper and lower surfaces, said recess and bottom platform forming a lens well, said lens well dimensioned for receiving a standard lens carrier;   a plurality of apertures in said bottom platform;   a metallic reservoir attached to the lower surface of said bottom platform and disposed directly beneath said apertures, said metallic reservoir having a bottom surface;   a flat annular heating coil carried by and attached to the bottom surface of said metallic reservoir;   a manually resettable thermostat switch mounted on the bottom surface of said reservoir surrounded by said heating coil and connected electrically in series with said heating coil, said thermostat switch being operable for opening the electrical connection upon an increase in temperature when said reservoir is empty; and   a cap removably covering said recess whereby upon placing water in said reservoir and placing a lens carrier with contact lenses therein in said well and applying electrical power to said heating coil, boiling water in the reservoir will cause steam to pass through said apertures, heating said lens carrier therein and disinfecting said lenses, said cap being dimensioned for carrying a predetermined volume of water for emptying into said reservoir and disinfecting any contact lens in a lens carrier in the lens well during a period required for boiling out of said predetermined volume of water.